Royals stadium proposal

Two factions within the Jackson County Legislature risk losing federal relief funds because they can’t agree on how to spend them. It’s the latest point of contention in a consistently difficult relationship between legislators and the county executive.

Johnson County has until the end of the year to spend $6 million of federal COVID relief funds that were originally bookmarked for a Lenexa homeless shelter. Johnson County Commission chair Mike Kelly wants that money to still go towards housing solutions.

Two specific sites in Overland Park have been mentioned as possible landing places for a new baseball stadium. The Royals have been courted by Kansas after Kansas City voters rejected funding for a downtown ballpark — but the team hasn't actually provided plans yet.

Of Missouri's statewide elections this fall, polls show the race for governor is the closest. But Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe had a commanding 10% lead over Democratic state Rep. Crystal Quade, and the state hasn't elected a Democratic governor since 2012.

Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Democratic House Leader Crystal Quade are facing off to be Missouri’s next governor, along with third-party candidates Bill Slantz and Paul Lehmann. Here’s where they stand on the major issues in Missouri, including abortion rights, tax cuts, child care and guns.

Kansas City Manager Brian Platt says construction on the KC Streetcar southern extension is in its final stages, and the route remains on track to open next year. Meanwhile, talks of potential east-west extensions are still in the works.

Mayor Quinton Lucas told KCUR’s Up To Date that he’d like to find alternative ways to pay for the baseball team’s future stadium. “Why should every person in Jackson County pay a sales tax to support something that they may never use?” he asked.

Kansas City's mayor joined KCUR's Up To Date for a discussion about the future of sports in the metro — including the pressure around keeping the Chiefs and Royals, and chaos in the committee helping to organize the 2026 World Cup. But there's one thing Quinton Lucas isn't worried about: President Biden's ability to run for president.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says he's not worried about Kansas' effort to poach the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. But he says Missouri will put together its own offer, if the teams make information public beforehand about their proposed stadium locations and costs.

Missouri House Majority Leader Jon Patterson called the Kansas legislation — which could provide hundreds of millions of dollars for new Chiefs and Royals stadiums — a "wakeup call. He anticipates that Missouri lawmakers will craft a response to keep the two teams.

Brooks Sherman, chief operating officer for the Royals, and lobbyists hosted lawmakers at the Six Mile Chop House and Tavern on Monday “to talk about the Royals interest in Kansas."

STAR bonds, or sales tax and revenue bonds, pay for tourist attractions and then use the sales taxes collected at those attractions to pay off the construction debt. But Kansas has a mixed record on STAR bond projects, and the state has never used them to subsidize an NFL or MLB team before.